Football game board



Jan. 18,1927. v

J. M. CONLEY FOOTBALL GAME BOARD Filed June 3. 1925 Figui Jiri/3-4 INVENTOR John M. @onLey BY ATTORNEY be traversed by a movable element, whose` Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNIT-ED STATES PATENT oFFicE JOHN M. CONLIY, Ol' BTOCXTON, CALIFORNIA.

roo'rnam. Gnu: Bonn.

Application led June 3,

This invention relates to improvements in indoor games, and particularl to a type of game in which a board is us on which is represented a. course Lor playing field to movements are controlled by means of chance operated by the players.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a game device which simulates an outdoor game, particularly lthat known as American foot-ball. In this game a representation of a foot-ball field is marked on the board, and the movable element representing a foot-ball is moved one way or the other according toresults obtained by the throwing of any one of anumber of setsof dice. Each set of dice represents a different form of lay, and the results obtained by throwing tlie same indicate a gain or loss in yardage and other features as in the actual outdoor game.

Since the set of dice to be thrown at any time is optional with the players, the latter represent the captains of opposing t'eams, and must exercise a certain amount of judg-v ment as to which form of play to use at any time, which'is also in accordance with the actual game.

The game is vtherefore interesting and entertaining to the players, since While they have control over the different type of plays to be'made, they cannot foretell nor control the outcome of such plays. This is because the element of chance is present throughoutv the playing of the game, and every vmovement of the member representing the ball wis subject to unforeseen and uncontrolled movement one way or the other along the field.

' These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate' corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the game board.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a line marker. Fig. 3 is a perspective view' of a pair of ice.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a movable element representing the ball.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, c

1925. Serial lo. 34,555.

the. numeral 1 denotes the board, a flat rigid member o f suitable size.

Imprinted on the board is the outline 2 of a foot-ball field having marked thereon the usual transverse lines 3 representing the five yard lines on the actual field.

The side outlinesof the field have orifices 4 at the intersections of the lines 3 therewith to receive the stem 5 of a line marking peg 6. The sides of this peg are preferably rectangular and have numerals marked thereon as shown to denote the number of downs.

A movable element 7, to representa football has a flat surface to rest on the board and has imprinted on its upper face an arrow indicating the direction toward which the elemeit is any timel urin the playin of the me.

A number og spaces 8, egach coloigdld differently, are outlined on the board to the sides of the field, each space having lettering denoting certain forms of pla and symbolic letters with definitions o their meaning, as at 9, which represent a variety of results obtainable when such play is attempted.

For each form of play, adapted to 'normally be located in the correspondin spaces 8, a pair of dice 10 is provided. T eseare presumed to be travelling at colored the same as the corresponding size of the dice, which it is of course desiredv 'to keep as small as practicable.

In playing the game the procedure is substantiall thesame as in the actual outdoor game. he player winning the kick-off shakes the corresponding dice to ascertain the results of such kick, the elements being then placed at the center of the field with the arrow facing in thevdirection which the player is advancing the element.

For instance if these dice fall as shown in 1, the ball is advanced 30 yards (35 pending on the position of the ball on the field at such time.

Assuming that he tries an endl play, and that the corresponding dice fall as shown in F ig. l, a gain of 10 yards is the result. The ball is therefore advanced accordingly. Another play is then made according to the choice of the player, and so on.

After each play is made, the marker peg 0 is suitably manlpulated. If an advance of ten yards of the ball has been made, the peg is advanced the same distance as the ball, but is not turned, since no downs have been made. If however no such advance of the ball is made, or ground is lost, the marker is left where it is, but is rotated a quarter turn for each such play, to indicate a down. This procedure follows that employed in the actual game, and in this manner it is easy to keep track of the time when the ball, according to the usual rules, passes into the hands of the other player. The

35 latter then manipulates the dice according to his choice and form as to the forms of play to be used in advancing the ball in the opposite direction. When 'the ball thus passes into the hands of the other player,

l the element 7 is reversed in position so that 40 the arrow faces in the opposite direction.

device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction .of the device, still in practice'such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as neW and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a football simulating game device having a board marked to simulate a, football field, and an element movable over the field in simulation of a football; a plurality of independent dice, each pair representing a certain form of play and being marked to denote the results of such play and being diHerently colored from the other pairs, and definite areas marked on the boardfor receiving the different pairs of dice when not in use, such areas being colored to correspond to the dice to be placed thereon. 7"

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature. v JOHN M. CONLEY. 

